Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-04-07
four bill
Owen Meehan " erection

same Trenton pike. 25 W
same National road and expenses,
four bills, amounting to- 252 90
Owen Meehan " erection Trough run bridge As o.
1t has been the practice for years TO allow such
statute requires that all accounts of the commits
siOneEs shall be approved, before they are allowed
and paid.
4th-The commissioners, when travelling on Of
fetal business, including trips to Cleveland, COlum-
bus and other places, have charged and received
mileage at the rate of five cents per mile each way
and in addition thereto have charged and received
the regular railroad fare to and from such places
Such charges Illegal. Mileage is allowed and
intended 10 compensate for the expense of travel
The cost to the county of thus receiving both mile
age and car fare Is quite apparent In one case we
notice in the accounts On the 18th Of March, 1885,
the commissioners went TO Cincinnati returning on
the 18th. The cost of the trip appears by the
counts, sII8.65. of this Berry received
s61.50 Cope S64.00 and Meehan, who travelled on a
railroad pass to Columbus and return, s5S.I5 As
the per diem amounted to $500, there was left
S15165 for expenses. The cost of travel for other
trips is in proportion to the cost in this instance.
charged both car fare and mileage in accordance
with opinion given by Geo. X. Nash, then attor-
ney GensraI, at a convention OF commissioners,
charge for railroad fare in addition to mileage
when travelling on official business. Upon inquiry
we of the opinion that the commissioners
honestly believed they were entitled to thus charge
the. mileage and for the.rsilroad fare.
5th-Said commissioners have made and entered
on their journal an order directing Morris Cope,
one of their number, to visit st. Clairsvlle once
week, and as much oftener as he may think proper,
to inspect the material used in constructing the
he has been charging for and receiving for such
services, per diem, mileage and expenses. For a
time Mr.. Meehan acted in the same capacity Inas-
much as the law provides for the employment OF an
architect builder to superntend the execution of
the contract for building the court house. and the
county now has both in its employ, the duty of in
spect1ng material and experimenting the erection
of the building should be entrusted to them.
6th-Said commissioners, in number of instan-
ces during the year, have entered orders on their
journal directing the auditor to issue warrants for
the payment of persons for work done under con-
tract upon the certificate of individual members of
the board. In many instances money has been paid
tend work. Payments in this manner are contrary
to law. Bills for work done on contract should be
examined and allowed by the board of commission
ers before they paid.
7th-The report shows that in many cases suf-
hcient care is not taken to procure supplies at
customary prices The auditor for assessors blanks
for 1886, paid at the rate of s. per thousand when
the same of like quality could have been had for
$3.50 per thousand. Ballot boxes were purchased
at more than double what would be fair price for
the same; More care on the part of officers order
ing supplies and on the part of the commissioners
before paying bills for the same, would result in
great saving to the county.
sth-The journal of the commissioners shows
that in q number of cases individual members
have been authorized to make contracts for repairs
to bridges. The power to make contracts is vested
in the board, and cannot be delegated in this
ner.
9th-The journal of the commissioners shows that
they held four regular and fifteen special sessions
during the year. Their accounts show that charges
have been made by them and money paid for mile
age and expenses account of said sessions to
which uley we're not entitled, as follows; Cope,
mileage four times; expenses six times. Meehan,
penses seven times. Berry, mileage three times;
expenses seven times. Israel, expenses five times.
IOth-In an account of ]. w. Berry, one of the
commissioners, there are charges dated May 9th
and 18th, 1886, for 22S miles, mileage to New Phia-
delphia and return, when the same should be for
only III miles. This charge of double mileage is no
doubt mistake. He has been paid by such error
$50 more than he should have received at the
time.
11th-In the auditors exhibit of receipts ard ex-
penditures, published is an item, as follows: 10
repairing washout, Wegee creek road, Mead town
ship, S497.jO' which has caused some complaint
from Mead township, and needs explanation The
items includes S2500O paid James Hamilton for re-
pairs to road along the river, S5O0 repairs to We
gee road and Sl2.E0 for surveying. The payment of
S0. 80 to Hamilton has also caused complaint. The
committee has taken testimony as to the same and
while of the opinion that Hamilton had good
price, find that the commissioners let the contract
on an estimate of township trustees of Mead town.
ship and surveyor that IL would cost t250 and if
there is any cause of complaint, they are not to
blame.
I2th-An examination of the report shows TINT in
construction of bridges have been allowed and paid
in proportion to the cost thereof than has been
paid to other persons when employed for such pur-
pose. Commissioner Meeehan for experimenting
the erection of Trough run bridge costing $305.0O
was allowed and pad the sum OF S40.UO. d. Brady,
for experimenting the erection of bridge in War
township, costing S2S2. CO. allowed and paid
$50. The charge of $3.50 is disproportonate to
the cost. If such sum is proper allowance, then
the allowance of $3.50 for experimenting the erec-
ton of Warren township bridge is little tough on
Brady. Commissioner Berry, for experimenting
the erection of Buslnessburg bridge costing s116OO
was allowed and paid S65.O0 while Nathaniel Taylor
for experimenting the erection of bridge over
Crabapple creek, costing S14S6.O0, was allowed and
paid 5000. Commissioner Cope was allowed and
paid for experimenting bridges on Glenn's run
costing SS0OOOO as his voucher and the report
show, the sum of SllS.0O.
13th-Morris Cope, one of said commissioners acts
as superintendent of the National road, and has
ceiyed therefor during the year including expenses
$252.00. His charge has been $500 per day and
expenses. The legality well propriety of thus
one of their own number is doubtful. |
The furnishing breaking and spreading of stone |
are done by contract. The supervision might be I
done at less expense.
4th-In January, 1885, Commissioners Cope and
Berry attended meeting of county commissioners,
held at Columbus, Ohio, charging their accounts
and receiving per diem and expenses, except mile
age while attending the Cope charges for four
days and Berry for six days. The amount charged I
and received by Cope is S2970 and by Berry SsS 7O
Ihere- is no authority of law for making such |
charges. Cope and Berry, however, claim that in so
charging per diem and expenses, they were follow
ing practice general in the state.
Except as to the foregoing matters, we find the
report correct, and in conformity to law.
GEO. DUNCAN,
NEWELL K KENNON